“What kind of place is it, I wonder. . . this Cody, Wyoming?” The question played on my mind as I boarded the outbound bus from Okmulgee that humid summer
“What kind of place is it, I wonder. . . this Cody, Wyoming?” The question played on my mind as I boarded the outbound bus from Okmulgee that humid summer day of 1964.
Hours later in Pueblo, Colorado the Greyhound took on a passenger with a telling weakness for drink. Seating himself by me, he noted the Bible resting open on my lap, and slurred an observation.
“Oh! You’re readin’ the Bible. Good! Are you a Christian?”
“Yes, sir, I am.”
I was still more a boy than a man – sure of my faith but not sure of myself.
“Wonderful, I am too!” he announced with a flair, then added, “I’m Pentecostal!”
Electing, with a twinge of conscience, not to fuel the visit, I quietly offered, “That’s nice.”
The man dozed off. In a moment I glanced his way. I wonder what’s led him to seek comfort, or joy, or escape through a substance in a bottle? A nudge of compassion stirred and I prayed God’s care over the random stranger next to me – my fellow-pentecostal.
North of Denver I squinted out the bus window. A passing car sported a red Wyoming license plate. On it I glimpsed a stirring image, a bucking bronco giving his all to dislodge a cowboy trying his best to stay on board.
Cheyenne boasted her Frontier Days. Laramie, her Jubilee Days – rodeos taking center stage at each. Indeed, Wyomingites dubbed themselves the Cowboy State. Stretching myself out, I drifted off, my thoughts trailing to past days at Okmulgee’s rodeo grounds just opposite our acreage.
By the time I stirred the bus had entered a land of breezy landscapes. The vehicle jostled under wind gusts, navigating Casper’s high desert country. Wind River Canyon sparked amazement – its rich blue waters snaking along canyon walls.
Not long after, the bus slowed. I had reached my destination. A big sign greeted us, and I chuckled to myself. . . Why should I be surprised?
Cody, Wyoming – Rodeo Capital of the World.
©2019 Jerry Lout
Writer and Public Speaker Jerry Lout lives in Tulsa. He was schooled at Okmulgee’s Wilson Elementary, Preston High and O.S.U. Okmulgee before moving to San Antonio, then to East Africa. Jerry authored “Living With A Limp”, from which this piece is edited ( Amazon.com ). Additional narratives are posted on his blog at www.jerrylout.com. He may be reached at jerrylout@gmail.com
